Africa Trip

Africa Trip

By Millie

In July 2017, students and staff from All Saints Academy will be travelling to go on a mission trip to Kasulu, in Tanzania, Africa, so they can experience the culture, religion and see what it is like for people to live in poverty on a daily basis. The Africa Trip is a partnership between the Dioceses of Gloucester and Kasulu, designed to change the students’ lives and the locals’ lives for the better. It is an opportunity for students to experience faith in a different culture, encouraging leadership qualities and strengthening relationships with God, across geographical boundaries.

In Tanzania, the climate is very tropical and the coastal areas are hot and humid, causing the central plateau to be dry and arid throughout the year. The temperature in Tanzania can create quite an issue for the people who live there. Many live in poverty because they are unable to support their families as they cannot plant crops to sell or eat. Tanzania suffers from a high level of poverty, meaning that many lack the basic necessities of food, water, shelter, healthcare and education. In order to attempt to do their part to alleviate the level of poverty that is prevalent throughout the country, the Africa Team will help educate and support the younger generation of a town in Kasulu, Tanzania. The team will be teaching them academic subjects like Maths and English, and also teaching them leadership skills.

I interviewed two teachers and one student participating in the Africa Trip: Miss Morley, Mr Pinless, and Shana Kelly. When asked what they were most, and least, looking forward to about the trip, Miss Morley said that she was “most looking forward to meeting the fantastic people that live there” and that it would be a “very inspirational experience and kind of a ‘wakeup call’”.

Mr Pinless shares Miss Morley’s excitement for the trip as he had “never been to Tanzania before”. He is looking forward to seeing the “change in the students once they get back and the challenges that we will face and overcome whilst out there”. Shana Kelly was also excited to experience the “new way of living” and making “a difference”.

However, Mr Pinless is least looking forward to the food, claiming that ‘I’ve had something called Ugali. It is made from maize flour and water and it is not very nice. I am also least looking forward to the tiredness, but eventually adrenalin will kick in.” Miss Morley is least looking forward to having to go to the toilet. Furthermore, Shana Kelly is concerned about the diseases and illnesses, as the team will face the risk of developing illnesses such as Yellow Fever, Typhoid and Tuberculosis, and contracting waterborne diseases, such as Cholera; but she is hoping to make a real difference to a local community.

The team have held a series of fundraising events, some of which involved their selling cakes and Valentine’s Day roses. Most recently, the team, along with a number of volunteers, took part in an overnight sponsored fast. So far, ASA have raised an incredible, £11,271! However, the team have set their sights on organising another (far more demanding) event to aid their plight to raise enough money to reach their target of £27,000: the ‘Coast to Coast Challenge’. The staff from ASA will be partaking in a gruelling ‘Coast to Coast’ cycle from Holyhead to Cardiff, through Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia – near to 200 miles, over different altitudes, each day! This will take place over the Easter holidays, with all sponsorship money going to Africa 2017.